~/About
About
From
Abraham Garcia
Studio
Charleston, South Carolina
Email
abe@wrkhrs.co
Phone
(202) 550-7569
Studio site
www.wrkhrs.co
LinkedIn
in/thehonestape
Selected work01 / 16

thehonestape.com

Building

This site. Astro 5 + Payload CMS, deployed to Cloudflare Pages with D1 at the edge. Authored end-to…

Status
Shipping
Stack
Astro 5 · React 19 · Payload CMS · Cloudflare Pages
Role
Designer · Engineer

Sacred Grove

Building

A SwiftUI reading app for scripture and wisdom literature. Designed by conversation, built on a pub…

Status
In development
Stack
SwiftUI · iOS 26+ · Design tokens · AI-first design
Role
Designer · Engineer

Workhorse platform

Building

The studio I've directed since 2014, now being rebuilt as an agentic brand-delivery platform on the…

Status
Migrating
Stack
Cloudflare Workers · Payload CMS · Agentic content pipeline
Role
Designer · Engineer

Sound-Reactive Studies, No. 01: a browser instrument

Case study

A web-native specimen sheet that prints itself in CMYK ink whenever a key is held. The first piece in an ongo…

Discipline
Instrument · Sound study
Year
2026
Tags
sound-reactive-studies · sound · visualization

Sacred Grove

Case study

An immersive reading app for scripture and wisdom literature, designed by conversation first and built on a p…

Discipline
Writing
Year
2026
Tags
sacred-grove · swiftui · ios

ComfyUI, AnimateDiff, and the Open Local Stack

Case study

Running ComfyUI and AnimateDiff on a laptop. The stack, the recipe, and the work it makes.

Discipline
Generative AI · Stack
Year
2026
Tags
comfyui · animatediff · stable-diffusion

Vibe Coding is Design

Essay

Development is Design/Design is Development - exploring the changing relationship between design and developm…

Discipline
Essay
Year
2025
Tags
essay · creative-coding

Bootlegs: Turning Photoshop Fails into Fashion

Project

Hater’s gonna say it’s Photoshop. Every new digital tool shapes our design process with unique li…

Discipline
Generative AI · Poster series
Year
2024
Tags
poster · generative-art · photoshop

DC/DOX Film Festival

Case study

Brand identity design for a new documentary film festival in Washington, DC

Discipline
Brand · Campaign · Site
Year
2023
Tags
branding · poster · film

MLK Memorial Library Exhibition Design

Case study

Exhibition design for the MLK Memorial Library, featuring historical archives and community-driven storytelli…

Discipline
Exhibition · Environmental
Year
2021
Tags
exhibition · environmental · washington-dc

Epic Curing

Case study

Branding and digital marketing for a premier artisanal meat curing company in Washington, D.C.

Discipline
Design
Year
2021
Tags
branding · packaging · food-and-beverage

Grounded in Brookland

Case study

Brand identity and community-focused design work for Grounded in Brookland, capturing the local spirit of Was…

Discipline
Design
Year
2016
Tags
branding · community · washington-dc

Investigative Film Festival

Case study

Direct collaboration with festival founders forged a brand identity marked by authenticity and cultural signi…

Discipline
Design
Year
2015
Tags
poster · branding · film

Hi Fi Lo Fi Wi Fi

Case study

My MFA thesis: an exploration of sound-reactive images, technology, and interaction, built from a series of i…

Discipline
Thesis · Installation
Tags
installation · interactive · sound

Starry Night Capital

Case study

Brand identity and website design for Starry Night Capital, a blockchain and cryptocurrency investment firm.…

Discipline
Design
Tags
branding · web-design · crypto

Neurogazer

Case study

Brand identity design for neuroscience AI company developing MRI technologies for brain disorder treatment. I…

Discipline
Brand · Site · Prototype
Tags
branding · healthcare · web-design

01 The letter, continued

To whom it may concern,

My work has always crossed brand, product, and engineering. The work I'm proudest of is the work where those threads pull together. A brand that ships as a product, a product that argues for a way of working, an essay that argues for both. I draft intent in a model, prototype in the browser, put it in front of real people, and only systemize what survives.

What interests me now is the work that sits between disciplines. Creative direction that knows how the system gets built. Design engineering that respects the brand. Teaching that connects design to the cultures and tools moving underneath it. That seam is where I want to keep working.

If any of that resonates, I'd welcome a conversation.

With care,
Abraham Garcia

Practice

Brand & Creative Direction

Identity systems, campaign work, and editorial direction for cultural institutions, founder-led brands, and federal initiatives. Sixteen years directing teams across writing, photography, motion, and design. Recognition includes a Congressional Record citation, two Core77 awards, an AIGA50, and original research featured in Ellen Lupton's Type on Screen.

Design Engineering

AI-native engineering practice. The loop is intent in a model, prototype in React, test with real users, then systemize what survives in Figma. I direct Claude Code and Cursor through the build, reviewing every change through the brand and product lens. Designed and shipped launch pages, marketing sites, and product surfaces for Giffords, ADL, PBS Kids, AACT, PrioriBrand · Campaign · PhotographyPriori NaturalBrand launch campaign for a luxury skincare and wellness brand. Creative direction, photography, and packaging.View case study , NeurogazerBrand · Site · PrototypeNeurogazerBrand, marketing site, and prototype patient platform for a neuroscience and AI startup.View case study , and Workhorse itself. Stack today: React 19, Astro, SwiftUI, Framer Motion, and edge runtimes on Cloudflare. Headless CMS (Payload) and WordPress theming when the project calls for it.

Design Systems

Token-based systems that hold up across web, product, and print. Foundations, primitives, component libraries, and motion language built on Radix, shadcn, Framer Motion, and GSAP, with brand-level governance so the system survives a redesign. Currently directing @workhorse/ui, the token-based web design system used across Workhorse sites and client work.

AI-Native Practice

Daily practice on Claude, Cursor, and the Anthropic API since 2022. Custom tool-use agents, MCP servers, and agentic content pipelines are now part of how the studio scopes, builds, and delivers. Frontier models in the loop, not on the side. Writing publicly about it at meaninglayer.substack.com.

Photography & Production

Studio and field production for skincare, floral, hospitality, and editorial portrait work. Built media libraries used in national press, ad campaigns, and ecommerce for Boodywear, PrioriBrand · Campaign · PhotographyPriori NaturalBrand launch campaign for a luxury skincare and wellness brand. Creative direction, photography, and packaging.View case study , Crystal City BID, and others. Comfortable directing a crew or working solo with a single body.

Teaching & Studio Access

Faculty experience at MICA and George Mason; mentorship across cohorts of working designers since. Workhorse keeps a two-story carriage house on Capitol Hill: production floor, conference room, and workstations, open to collaborators and clients for meetings, shoots, and residencies.

Workhorse Collective

Workhorse Collective Washington, DC & Charleston, SC 2014 – Present

Design and Technology Director, Managing Partner

Leading end-to-end brand strategy, creative direction, and design for an award-winning studio serving cultural institutions, educational organizations, and founder-led brands.

Hospitality & Tourism

  • Eastern Market Main Street
  • Melange
  • Epic Curing and Smokehouse
  • DC Environmental Film Festival
  • Double Exposure: The Investigative Film Festival
  • DC/DOX (DC Documentary Film Festival)
  • National Women's History Museum
  • DC Public Library

Science-backed Consumer & Health

  • Boodywear
  • Boody Baby
  • Center for Plastic Surgery
  • Kane NY
  • Priori Skincare
  • Superfoods Rx

EdTech & E-learning

  • American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT)
  • PBS Kids
  • PBS Digital
  • Demme Learning
  • Resume Place

Tech & Data

  • Avhana Health
  • Datafresh
  • Neurogazer
  • Surprise Ride
  • Starry Night Capital
  • Blueprint Equity
  • Lavrock VC
  • Transit Labs
  • 1776

Real Estate

  • Bozzuto
  • Vornado
  • Coba
  • Crystal City BID
  • Faison
  • Owned full site overhauls and the underlying web design system end to end as IC, from concept through React, Astro, and Cloudflare production. Recent rebuilds include thehonestape.com and the Workhorse platform, both shipped from the shared @workhorse/ui token system.
  • Launched Workhorse with a pioneering distributed talent model, activating and sustaining a network of elite experts.
  • Led a strategic merger to build a unified, design-led digital marketing studio serving emerging lifestyle brands; integrated teams, process, and pipeline to drive sustained growth.
  • Positioned Workhorse as a key collaborator during the 2020 pandemic, guiding clients through digital transformation, remote operations, and process and systems modernization.
  • Directed integrated campaigns with agile teams, coordinating UGC, influencer programs, design and development, photography, retouching, motion, and video editing to deliver cohesive social media brand experiences.
  • Directed brand identity, website design, and content strategy for DC/DOXBrand · Campaign · SiteDC/DOX Film FestivalBrand identity, campaigns, and digital design for a new documentary film festival in Washington, DC.View case study and Double ExposureBrand · Campaign · EditorialDouble Exposure: Investigative Film FestivalAIGA50-recognized identity and campaign system for the Washington, DC investigative film festival.View case study film festivals, unifying advertising, campaigns, web design, and live event marketing.
  • Directed digital strategy and design for the National Women's History Museum, strengthening engagement for the world's largest online museum dedicated to women's history.
  • Designed and developed interactive e-learning websites and web applications, including projects for PBS Learning and the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT), requiring specialized scientific knowledge, technical expertise, and developer collaboration.
  • Designed and developed the brand and product prototypes for NeurogazerBrand · Site · PrototypeNeurogazerBrand, marketing site, and prototype patient platform for a neuroscience and AI startup.View case study , a neuroscience and AI startup, including identity, product design, and original portrait photography.
  • Led design for 'Up from the PeopleExhibition · EnvironmentalUp from the PeoplePermanent exhibition at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Washington, DC. Core77 Design Award.View case study : Protest and Change in D.C.,' the permanent installation at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.
  • Partnered with advocacy organizations including ADL, Giffords, and the American Immigration Council to deliver pandemic-era digital transformation, producing online galas and campaigns that maintained donor engagement.

Selected experience

Bloompop Washington, DC 2013 – 2014

Designer, Frontend Developer

Launched the 'Etsy for Florists' as an integrated brand, product, and content system. Comprehensive product and go-to-market design for a seed-stage floral business startup.

  • Designed and built the brand, marketing site, and consumer product end to end as designer and frontend developer at seed stage, working from the 1776 incubator in Washington, DC.
  • Designed and produced the viral 'My Fake Valentine' campaign, leveraging product features to drive national press and brand recognition (NPR, The Washington Post).
Genius (Rap Genius) Brooklyn, NY 2012 – 2012

Designer, Frontend Developer

Culture-forward design and development at a fast-growing music platform. Helped evolve the product from a lyrics site into a headline-grabbing annotation platform.

  • Led early product and brand design as Genius evolved from a niche lyrics site into the internet's annotation platform.
  • Collaborated with artists and creative partners to develop viral content and branded experiences that fueled viral moments and cultural relevance.
CP+B (Crispin Porter + Bogusky) Longmont, CO 2011 – 2011

Design Intern

Fast-paced branding and design at an iconic advertising agency working on national and global campaigns. Led design on new business pitches for Fortune 500 brands.

  • Owned story, creative comps, and presentations for Microsoft's Windows 8 launch pitch, which won the account and expanded CP+B's technology portfolio.
  • Supported integrated advertising campaigns for AmEx, Kraft, and Domino's, working across print, digital, and experiential channels.
Innovative Solutions International Rosslyn, VA 2009 – 2010

Designer

Strategic and technical design and illustration for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other government transportation agencies and initiatives.

  • Worked directly with engineers and scientists on communication and design projects related to Global Positioning System (GPS) and new technology initiatives, translating complex technical language into approachable, informative, and concise writing and design.
  • Produced high-resolution photography and designed high-quality, detailed, and accurate technical design, illustrations, catalogs, and exhibition graphics.
La Clinica del Pueblo Washington, DC 2007 – 2010

Communications Officer

Communications, design, and marketing for a non-profit clinic serving the immigrant population in NW Washington, DC.

  • Led new campaigns and initiatives to appeal to fundraisers while maintaining a brand that represented unity and strength in the community.
  • Collaborated across departments and disciplines and partnered with organizations like the Human Rights Campaign for events and fundraisers.
The Media Network Silver Spring, MD 2007 – 2009

Designer, Account Executive

Comprehensive research and behavioral design for Hispanic and Latino populations. Leading evidence-based creative strategy, research, and strategic insights.

  • Led evidence-based creative strategy, research, and strategic insights for U.S. federal agencies: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and more.
  • Managed cross-functional teams turning theory (self-efficacy, norms, perceived risk) into clear message frames, CTAs, and toolkits for Latino-focused health initiatives.
  • Built and managed a custom digital asset management (DAM) system to organize and distribute campaign materials across diverse projects and stakeholders.

Teaching

George Mason University Fairfax, VA 2016 – 2016

Professor, Adjunct

Designed and taught web design and usability courses focused on interdisciplinary, user-centered digital experiences.

  • Guided students through an iterative design and development process of research, prototyping, and product development.
  • Integrated design theory, art history, and philosophy of science to build students' design intuition.
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) Baltimore, MD 2010 – 2011

Graduate Assistant

Supported design faculty in advertising, electronic media, and visual communication courses for undergraduate and graduate students.

  • Led studio critiques and hosted office hours, giving students the conceptual framework to talk about, present, and defend their work.
  • Assisted with syllabus development, project prompts, and assignment sequencing to balance conceptual rigor and technical skills.
  • Delivered lectures and demos on advertising design history, copywriting, digital tools, interactive media, and emerging design practices.

Training

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) Baltimore, MD 2010 – 2012

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) — Graphic Design

  • Collaborated with graduate advisor Ellen Lupton and graduate studio partners on 'Type on Screen: New Typographic Systems.' Contributions included original research, writing, and icon design featured in Chapter 4: Icons and Logotypes.
  • Thesis centered on the history of sound and image technology through a deconstruction of electronic media (image, sound, symbol, emergence, silence) using custom-mapped MIDI controllers, Ableton, and Quartz Composer.
  • Conducted graduate research on design for public and community health. Documented a workshop with the Baltimore City Health Department and the MICA Center for Social Design in collaboration with the Noun Project.
The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 2000 – 2005

Bachelor of Science (BS) — Human Biology, Social Aspects of Health and Disease

  • Unique interdisciplinary science degree focused on history, human evolution, and research/writing methods for public health. Coursework in anthropology, language, psychology, social sciences, natural science, and mathematics.
  • Mentored first-year natural sciences students in the Partnership for Excellence in Natural Sciences (PENS), supporting first-generation students through integrated coursework, counseling, tutoring, fellowship, and mentoring.
  • Completed coursework in Spanish, German, and natural sciences at the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
The University of Texas Health Science Center Austin, TX 2005 – 2006

Graduate Certificate — Public Health Communication

  • Completed an accredited, accelerated graduate certificate spanning epidemiology, biostatistics, health behavior/health promotion, environmental health, and health policy/management.
  • Graduate assistant to behavioral scientist Alfred L. McAlister, ScD; supported behavioral research and health communication projects through literature reviews, instrument development, and data management/analysis.
  • Used behavioral theory constructs (e.g., self-efficacy, perceived risk, social norms) to shape health-promotion strategies and evidence-based messaging.

Awards & features

2024

Congressional Record 2024 · United States Congress

Creative direction and design for a pioneering music event hosted at the United States Capitol, which included bipartisan musical performances from sitting members of Congress.

2023

DC/DOX Brand and Digital Design

Led an integrated effort with festival founders to launch a culturally significant brand and documentary film institution in Washington, DC.

Core77 Design Award: Exhibition Design · Core77

For 'Up from the PeopleExhibition · EnvironmentalUp from the PeoplePermanent exhibition at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Washington, DC. Core77 Design Award.View case study : Protest and Change in D.C.,' the permanent installation at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.

AIGA50 Award for Investigative Film Festival · AIGA

Branding and design for Double ExposureBrand · Campaign · EditorialDouble Exposure: Investigative Film FestivalAIGA50-recognized identity and campaign system for the Washington, DC investigative film festival.View case study : Investigative Film Festival.

Core77 Design Award: Public Health Campaign · Core77

For 'Status Update,' a Baltimore City Health Department public health campaign.

2012

Type on Screen: Featured Work · Ellen Lupton

Design, writing, and research featured in 'Type on Screen' by Ellen Lupton. Completed at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).

Craft & competencies

Brand & Creative Direction

  • Brand Strategy
  • Identity Systems
  • Creative Direction
  • Campaign Development
  • Content Strategy
  • Visual Language

Design & Visual

  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Figma
  • Sketch
  • Typography
  • Editorial Design
  • Exhibition Design

Photography & Motion

  • Studio Photography
  • Portraiture
  • Retouching
  • UGC Production
  • Motion Graphics
  • Video Editing

Web & Development

  • TypeScript
  • React 19
  • Astro
  • Tailwind CSS
  • shadcn/ui
  • Radix UI
  • Framer Motion
  • GSAP
  • Payload CMS
  • Cloudflare Pages & Workers
  • Cloudflare D1
  • SwiftUI
  • Design tokens & systems
  • HTML / CSS / JS
  • WordPress
  • Webflow
  • Shopify

AI & Automation

  • Claude Code
  • Cursor
  • Anthropic API
  • OpenAI API
  • Midjourney
  • Stable Diffusion
  • ComfyUI
  • Local model orchestration (Ollama, LM Studio)
  • LLM prompt & tool-use systems
  • Agentic design workflows
  • AI-integrated brand delivery

Leadership

  • Team Leadership
  • Studio Operations
  • Client Management
  • Distributed Collaboration
  • Mentorship

Volunteer & fellowships

James Island Arts Council Charleston, SC 2018 – 2020

Communications Officer and Designer

Communications and design for a local non-profit arts council in James Island, South Carolina.

  • Standardized brand identity, marketing, and design for a non-profit community arts council.
  • Created and managed campaigns for community initiatives, including an annual art auction in coordination with area middle and high schools. Student art was exhibited and auctioned alongside established sea island artists.
Redux Contemporary Art Center Charleston, SC 2018 – 2021

Studio Artist

Showcased motion graphics, risograph posters, and zines. Final pieces sold at the yearly studio artist gala.

  • Participated in regular Open Studio events, inviting the public to engage with the creative process, fostering community connections, and creating opportunities for art sales and networking.
Center for Design Practice Baltimore, MD 2011 – 2011

Design Fellow

Led digital and interactive design for an award-winning Baltimore City Health Department health marketing campaign.

  • Conducted user research by attending and documenting Baltimore Ballroom scene events.
  • Participated in a panel discussion at Johns Hopkins University to evaluate the collaboration with the city and discuss campaign impact and the role of design in public health.

Profiles & writing.

A short stack of places to read more — newsletter, profile, source.